Pateht office



W. A. LOUDON'.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. I916.

1,816,73. Patente dSept. 23, 1919.

.uaatmu 70 flow of explosive era 1 w'ninrm A. LOUDON, 0F GHICAGQ, ILLINOIS.

ETERNAL-COMBUSTION MTG-ZINE.

Specification of Letters E'atent.

Patented Sept, 23, rate,

Application filed nebruary'as, 1918. Serial No. 80,790.

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, WnLIAM A. Lennon,- citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of 'Gookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanyipig drawings, forming a part of this spec cation? My invention relates to internal combustion engines that include a plurality of cylinders with pistons therein that operate upon a common load, each cylinder'with its piston being included in an engine unit.

It is the object of. my invention to render one or more of the engine units inoperative, or partially so, while maintaining the rest of the engine units operative when the load is lessened.

In practising my invention it provide means for enabling the pistons of the engine units that are to be rendered inoperative to run light, orpartially so. In the preferred embodiment f the invention means are provided for aut matically stopping the flow of carbureted air or other fuel to the engine cylinders of the units whose inoperativeness is temporarily to be efiected, whereby no explosive mixture has access to the cylinders of such engine units. Pistons of such cyl inders are then relieved of the function of compressing the explosive mixture whereby iheae pistons, to that extent,'are relieved of in addition to preventing the admission of engine propelling gas to the cylinders of the selected engine unlts l desirably mains tain the spaces in such cylinders in which the propelling gas is normally received in open communication with thecxternal air so that the pistons in such cylinders not only do not efi'ect compression when moving in one direction but also do not tend to create vacuumwithin their cylinders when moving in the reverse direction since such pistons would merely serve freely to draw air into their cylinders and freely to expel ittherefrom. In the preferred embodiment of the invention I employ electro-magnetically operated valve mechanism for cutting oil the maintaining the cylinders of the engine units to be rendered inoperative in communication with the external air Inasmuch as gases and for temporarily,

the admission valve of each cylinder is positively opened by engine driven mechanism, I employ a supplemental valve, that is preterably mechanically independent of the admission valve, for the purpose of cutting 0d the flow of the explosive mixture during the time that the associate admission-valve may be operating. ll preferably, however, make use of the same exhaust valve for establishing communication with the external air as this exhaust valve may readily be main-- tained open by electromagnetic means while the associate piston reciprocates.

An en 'ne operated governor may be employed or rendering engine units temporar1ly inoperative, one or more engine units belng made inefiective according to the oper ating condition of the governor.

It will explain my invention more fully by reference. to the accompanying drawin which is a diagrammatic representation 0 the preferred embodiment of the invention. In t e drawing-ll have illustrated the cylinders of two engine units together with electro-magnetic mechanism related thereto for governing the valve mechanism thereof and two additional sets of electro-magnets assumed to pertaintotwo additional engine units, like parts of the various engine units being given'similar characters of reference Each engine unit is shown as being-provided with a stationary engine cylinder 1,

I to which construction the invention is not to be limited, and a piston 2 reciprocating in such cylinder. Each pistonis connected ,by a pitman 3 with a crank 4:, the various cranks being connected with the same enlgine shaft 5,

or other common load, that couples the engine units. Any means for furnishing the explosive gas may be emloyed, a carburetor 6 being illustrated, and inasmuch as the carbureter is of well known construction a detail description thereof will not be necessary. Any suitable valve mechanism may be employed for admitting carbureted air or other propelling fluid to the engine cylinders and for regulating the discharge of spent gasfrom the cylinders. Each engine unit may have an admission valve 7 upon which closing pressure is ex erted by a spring 8 and against the force of which spring the valve may be opened by an engine driven cam 9 operating upon a cam roller 10 located at the adjacent end of the valve rod or stem 11. Each engine unit -may also have an exhaust valve 12 upon llltl Mid gases are normally ejected.

which closing pressure is exerted by a spring 13 and against the force of which s ring the valve may be opened by an engine riven cam 14 operating upon a cam roller 15 located at the adjacent end of the valve rod or stem 16. The admission valve 7 opens and closes a port 17, this port serving to convey propelling gas to the compression space in the associate cylinder 1, the propelling gas being conveyed from the source of gas supply through the pipe 18. A valve 19 is located in the passage of the pipe 18, this valve being normally opened by a spring 20 that exerts opening pressure upon the valve 19 so that th passage to the port 17 is normally uninterrupted. When any particular engine cylinder is to run light the valve 19 is closed so that no operating gas is admitted to the port 17 to find its way to the associate engine cylinder, the associate valve 7 then reciprocating to no purpose. The valve rod or stem 21 which carries the valve 19 also desirably carries an additional valve 22 controlling communication between the external air and the port 17 and with the interior of the associate cylinder when the valve 7 is open. The valve 22, when open for the purpose of enabling the associate piston to run lighter, permits the piston freely to draw air into the cylinder instead of at that time drawing gas into the cylinder. When air is being drawn into the cylinder of the cut out unit of an engine through the admissionport 17 air is also desirably being drawn into such cylinder through the port 23, through which spent The exhaust valve 12 is not only held open for the purpose of enabling the air freely to be drawn Into the cylinder of a cut out unit when the admission valve 7 of said unit is open but such exhaust valve of any cutout unit is desirably also maintained open when the admission valve 7 is closed so that on the return movement of the piston of such cutout unit the previously admitted air may be ejected through theexhaust port, access to the external air by way of the valve 22 at that time being cut off because of the closed position of the associate admission valve 7. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for controlling the valves for the purpose of cutting out engine units, such mechanism being desirably automatic in its operation. Electromagnetic mechanism is preferably employed, the stem upon which the valves 19 and 22 are mounted projecting through the winding of the magnet 24 into range of the armature 25 of such magnet, the spring 20 normally operating upon the rod 21 to press the armature 25 upwardly but whenever such magnet is energized the armature will press the valve rod downwardly to close the valve 19 and open the valve 22. An-

aeiavec other magnet 26 is provided for each engine unit, the associate exhaust valve 12, being also the armature of this magnet, being within range of the magnet core 27. The magnets 24 and 26 pertaining to each engine unit are desirably connected in series. A common battery 28 has one pole in common connection with one terminal of each magnet 26 and through the winding of this magnet with one terminal of the associate magnet 24 The remaining terminal of each magnet 24 is connected with a switch terminal 29, there being one such switch terminal for each pair of magnets pertaining to each engine unit. These switch terminals 29 are grouped into a bank and are adapted to be engaged by a contact bar 30 reciprocated by an engine actuated centrifugal governor 31. A battery terminal 32 is also included in the same bank of contacts with the bank 29 but, unlike the contacts 29, is always in engagement with the contact bar 30 whereas no contact 29 is engaged by this bar 30 un less the engine unit to which such contact 29 is individual is to be cut out of service. enever any contact 29 is engaged by the bar 30 circuit for the magnets 24 and 26 having such contact 29 is closed by way of the contact 32 and the bar 30. The contacts 9 are successively brought into circuit as the speed of the engine increases and are successively excluded from circuit as the speed of the engine decreases, the order of succession of these contacts being any which is preferred in the design of the engine.

I'have indicated the magnets pertaining to fourengine units and the contacts 29 in dividual to these engine units. I have also indicated other contacts 29 extending to other magnets not illustrated.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the exhaust valve of any automatically selected engine unit is maintained open during the compression strokes of such engine unit at which time air is drawn into the engine cylinder of such unit through the exhaust port while the exhaust valve or valves of the remainder of the engine units may function as usual. It will also be seen that the exhaust valve of any automatically selected engine unit is maintained open during the reciprocal or charging strokes, at which time air is drawn into the engine cylinder of such unit. That is, the exhaust valve is maintained open during the reciprocation of the piston alternately to allow air to come into the cylinder and to be expelled therefrom. I do not wish to be limited, however, to the use of the exhaust valve for these purposes.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as ing a plurality of intense changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention ll claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

1. An internal combustion engine including a plurality of coupled engine units having admission and exhaust valves and automatically operated means independent of either' of said valves associated with each unit to relieve such unit of load incident to charging strokes thereof.

2. An internal combustion engine including a plurality of coupled engine units having admission and exhaust valves, and an automatically operated valve mechanism independent of the admission and exhaust valves associated with each unit to relieve such unit of load strokes thereof. a

3. An internal combustion engine including a plurality'of coupled engine units having admission and exhaust valves, and automatically operated means associated with each unit and independent of the admission 'valve for preventing admission of fuel to such unit during the charging strokes thereof.

4:. An internal combustion engine including a plurality of coupled engine units having admission and exhaust valves, and an automatically operated valve mechanism associated with each unit and independent of the admission valve for preventlngadmission of fuel to such units during charging strokes thereof.

5. An internal combustion engine includcoupled engine units having admission and exhaust valves, and automatically operated means associated with each unit and independent of the admission and exhaust valves for preventing and establishing communication between the gas incident to charging receiving space of such engine unit and the exterior of the engine.

6. An internal combustion engine including a plurality of coupled engine units hav ing admission and exhaust valves, and an automatically operated valve mechanism associated with each unit and independent of venting tween the gas receiving space of such engine unit and the exterior of the engine.

.7. An internal combustion engine includingv a plurality of coupled engine unite having admission and exhaust valves, and automatically operated means between the fuel supply and admission valve for simultaneously closing communication between the supply and engine unit and establishing communication between thegas receivin space of the engine unit and the exterior the engine, and for simultaneously preventing communication between the gas receiving space of the unit and the exterior of the engine and establishing communication between the unit and the fuel supply.

8. An internal combustion engine including a plurality of coupled engine units having admission automatically operated valve mechanism associated with each unit between the admission valve and the fuel supply for simultaneously preventing communication between the fuel supply and unit and establishing communication between the gas reof the engine and vice-versa.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this nineteenth day of February WILLIAM A. LOUDON. Witnesses:

Gr. L. CRAoe, Erma LWHITE.

and exhaust valves, and an ceiving space of the unit and the exterior.

the admission and exhaust valves for preand establishing communication be 

